His firstborn always asks how hard is to get there.

Sevet tells him it was a very perilous journey through the seas where each current was more treacherous than the last.

In reality, people overestimate how safe a sea serpent can be on the open ocean, even one that is almost completely grown up like Sevet. It's easy to get lost. Even more so when pirates decide that you and your parents look like interesting food or something.

Sevet didn't like the darkness, but he went deeper and deeper and then... the water changed, from salty to fresh and there was light where he thought below was.

Most children enjoy hearing variations of the same story, specially very enthusiastic events.

Sevet's secondborn wasn't like that. And got Sevet to retell the story the same way each time, at least this part.

Out of nowhere, a large squid tentacle wraps itself around Sevet. He is almost grow, being twelve, but that's not grow enough to be as strong as he could. And his shapeshifting power is not all there yet. He can make a human face and arms... if he works for most an afternoon. He can't escape a grasp like this.

Luckily, all that the giant squid does is place him on the shore of a lake.

Sevet looks around. There is no river connecting this lack to anywhere else. That's not how water works. I mean, it can be, but where is the ocean?

Apparently, the ocean is nowhere to be seen. And it's hard to believe he failed to spot a island this big. There is a forest around and a building over there.

Also, sitting on the shores, not too far away from where Sevet landed there is a pair of twins with faces quite similar to Sevet's attempt at human faces.

"Is that?"

She looks up. "Apparently so. I told you this place is full of surprises."

His thirdborn really likes surprises!

There is plenty in this story.

Sevet looks up at the apparent twins, one is wearing oddly clothing, the other is a bit more recognizable like something from a Giant city-state.

If only they knew Sevet's internal monologue, regardless, he is wearing a gray suit with a white under-shirt.

"Hello, there. Welcome to Milliways."

She is wearing a very nice witch outfit made out of black silk.

"Are you okay, little one?"

"I am not little!" He protests using his arms to prop himself up, he looks more like a fish with arms and a human face than what some worlds would call merfolk. "I am larger than you."

"You sure are. He sure is." He repeats. "Why call him little?"

"Call it a sixth sense. But am I wrong that you are not fully grown yet?"

"How old are you?"

"I am twelve. That's almost grow up."

The two exchange a knowing look. "And what's your name? I am Stephania Farakhel and I prefer female pronouns."

"Stephen Grayscale."

Sevet's face frowns.

"I am Sevet Graydoor. Those are very similar names."

"They are. Have you ever been to Milliways before?"

Those people are kinda weird.

"No. And I don't know how I got here." He eyes them suspiciously.

"That was not our doing. Milliways exists between worlds and sometimes it will bring people from different worlds that are similar, but not quite. Like us."

"Why does it do that?"

Phaidra has a theory about that, it involves jumping up and down on the bed, not the theory itself, but the delivery method of said theory.

It does that so people can make friends from all over!